Smarter Bjak Cafe

SMARTER BJAK Cafe is Brunei’s first autism-focused café, employing 100% individuals with autism. It provides meaningful employment and training, aligning with SMARTER’s P.L.E.D.G.E. that “Everyone Will Be Employed.” Staff are paid based on attendance and completed tasks, gaining experience in food preparation, customer service and maintenance supporting their journey toward independence and sustainability.


  • Brunei Darussalam

Products and Solutions Offered by SMARTER B.A.C.A & BJAK Café
1. Sheltered, Supported, and Open Employment Programmes
We provide structured training and employment opportunities for adults with autism. These programmes support participants in developing life and work skills across three levels of employment readiness, tailored to individual capabilities and growth.

2. BJAK Café & Bistro (Established June 2020)
A social enterprise café fully operated by individuals with autism. It serves as a live training and employment environment where team members build confidence, purpose, and independence. The café offers:

Hot & Cold Beverages
Handcrafted drinks made by trained baristas with autism, including regular in-house service and pop-up events.

Hot Meals
Hearty dishes such as burgers and shepherd’s pie, prepared by participants as part of their F&B training.

Baked Goods & Pastries

Cookies (Milo, Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal) from the SMARTER Washington Bakery

Buns (Pandesal, Kaya, Red Bean, Cheese, Chocolate) with plans to expand to muffins and waffles

3. Ethical ASEAN Coffee Blends
Our coffee features sustainably and ethically sourced beans from Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam—highlighting both regional diversity and ethical sourcing.

4. Business Model Solutions
We use a 3P model (People, Public, Private) to engage customers, empower students, and sustain operations through:

Café apprenticeships

Certifications and reference letters

Inclusive hiring pathways

5. Community Education & Advocacy
We host workshops, pop-ups, and educational sessions on neurodiversity in the workplace. We aim to train café owners and baristas in inclusive practices and develop a certified training module for regional replication.

6. Digital and Social Media Engagement
With active channels on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, we raise awareness and advocate for autism inclusivity through storytelling, live streams, and content created by youth and team members themselves.

The ASEAN Secretariat Heritage Building,
1st Floor, Jl. Sisingamangaraja No. 70,
Jakarta Selatan 12110, Indonesia

Supported by:

Organised by:


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© 2023 ASEAN Social Enterprise Development Programme.